LaGuardia Crash: Fire Truck Lacked Transponder | Air Canada Collision
A collision between an Air Canada jet and a Port Authority fire truck at LaGuardia Airport on Sunday night resulted in the deaths of the pilots and injuries to dozens, prompting a temporary shutdown of the New York City airport. The incident occurred shortly before midnight as Air Canada Flight 8646, operating as Jazz Aviation flight 8646, was landing after a flight from Montreal.
According to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Air Canada Express CRJ-900 struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) vehicle on Runway 4. Initial reports indicate the fire truck was responding to a separate, unrelated incident at the time of the collision. Kathryn Garcia, the Port Authority Executive Director, stated at a news conference that 41 passengers and crew members were transported to area hospitals, with 32 subsequently released.
The pilots of the Air Canada flight were killed in the crash, officials confirmed. Two members of the fire truck crew were also injured and were reported to be in stable condition. The impact crushed the nose of the aircraft, as evidenced by images released by the Port Authority and news agencies.
Audio recordings released on Monday revealed an air traffic controller repeatedly instructing the fire truck to “stop, stop, stop” moments before the collision. The controller’s attempts to halt the vehicle were unsuccessful, and the jet subsequently struck the truck even as landing. The recordings raise questions about the circumstances leading up to the crash, though the precise sequence of events remains under investigation.
LaGuardia Airport was closed following the incident and partially reopened at 2 p.m. On Monday. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the cause of the collision. Investigators are currently examining the wreckage and reviewing air traffic control communications.
According to ABC News, the Air Canada plane was traveling between 93 and 105 miles per hour at the time of the ground collision. The airport experienced its first fatal crash in three decades as a result of the incident.
Air Canada confirmed that the flight was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members. Passengers were directed to the airline’s ticket counter to be reunited with their families, including one unaccompanied minor who was on board. The airline has not yet released a statement regarding the ongoing investigation.
The Port Authority has not released information regarding the separate incident that prompted the initial dispatch of the fire truck. The NTSB investigation will likely examine the protocols for coordinating emergency vehicle movements on airport runways, as well as the visibility and communication systems in place at LaGuardia Airport.